Rotatable roadway light support



NOV. 16, 1954 c, FF, JR 2,694,540

ROTATABLE ROADWAY LIGHT SUPPORT Filed Feb. 7, 1950 2 Sheet's-Sheet lINVENTOR.

A T TORNEY Nov. 16, 1954 Filed Feb. 7, 1950 H. C. PFAFF, JR

ROTATABLE ROADWAY LIGHT SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n FIXED posh-uou7/ ILIGHTING UNIT 56 Ail-0TH"; STANDARD ROADWA INVENTOR.

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/ A TTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 2,694,540 Patented Nov. 16,1954 ROTATABLE ROADWAY LIGHT SUPPORT Henry C. Pfatf, Jr., Summit, N. J.,assignor to Pfafi and Kendall, Newark, N. J., a corporation of NewJersey Application February 7, 1950, Serial No. 142,889

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-45) This invention relates to roadway light units,usually located at the margin of the road, wherein a light element iscarried by an arm disposing the light unit over the road at a point wellspaced from the margin of the road. Such units are used on highways,bridges and the like, wherein the flow of tratfic is substantial. Itbecomes necessary, from time to time, to service the light unit. In theconventional arrangement, it has been necessary to block off one or morelanes of tratfic to this end.

The instant invention provides a roadway light support having means tonormally hold the light unit in its fixed position over the roadway, andto provide for the rotation thereof to a position along the margin ofthe roadway for safely servicing the light unit without interfering withuse of the roadway.

The invention further provides a novel mechanism for the purposereferred to above, which is highly practical and efficient in operation,and incorporates novel features more particularly set forth below andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, partly sectional, vertical, elevational view ofa rotatable roadway light support embodying the invention,

gig. 2 is a partly sectional side elevational view thereof, an

Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the application of theinvention.

In the drawings, a rotatable roadway light support embodying theinvention is shown comprising a tubular base member 15 which may bemounted on or secured to the roadway R at the margin M thereof;(wherever the term roadway is used in this application, the same shallbe interpreted to mean a highway, bridge or other surface requiringillumination for vehicular or foot traific). A disc 16 is securedinteriorly of the tubular base member 15 adjacent the lower end thereofby any desired or suitable means, such as, for example, plugs 17 weldedas at 17'. The disc is provided with an internally tapered portion 19for the reception of a complementarily tapered portion 21 of a bearingmember 20, terminating in a lip portion 18 which serves to register theparts in assembly and to maintain them aligned. A rotor tube 25 issecured at its lower end to the bearing 20 by any suitable means, as,for example, by self-tapping screws 26 or the like, or is formedintegral with the bearing member 20. The collar 27 is fixed to the upperend of the tubular base member 15 by any suitable or convenient means,such as, for example, selftapping screws 28 or the like. The rotor tube25 is provided with an extended portion 29 above the collar 27 to whicha ring 30 is secured by any suitable means 29. Secured to the upper endof extended portion 29 of the rotor tube 25 (or to a second tube fixedthereto) is the arm 22 which carries the light unit 36. The arm 22 isfixed to the rotor tube or post 25 at a plane 23 at an angle to theaxial plane 24 of the rotor tube 25, and at right angles to thelongitudinal axis 35 (Fig. 3) of the roadway R. The collar 27 isprovided with one or more threaded or other anchoring portions 31 to beengaged by securing members 32 to clamp the ring 30 to the collar 27 andto thus dispose the lighting unit 36 over the roadway in normal fixedposition. The ring 30 telescopically overlies the collar 27, as shown inFig. 1, and may be provided with enlarged apertures 37 through which thesecuring members 32 may very freely pass, and said securing members mayhave enlarged heads or washer means or the like to cover the excessportions of said apertures. This arrangement, particularly shown in Fig.1, will permit some variance in the relative proportion of the parts,

particularly compensating for workmens errors in assembly.

In operation, the device is assembled to dispose the arm 22 in thenormal fixed position shown in Fig. 2, the parts being held in thatposition by engagement of the securing members 32 with the portions 31of the collar 27.

To rotate the arm 22 from its normal fixed position, to its maintenanceposition, to dispose the lighting standard or unit 36 at the margin M ofthe roadway, the securing members 32 are disengaged. A suitable tool maythen be inserted into the apertures 37, or the rotor 25 otherwiseengaged, to rotate the same to a position substantially (a practicaldegree of rotation would be as indicated in Fig. 3) from the normal,fixed position. The rotor tube and tubular base member may be providedwith complementary lugs or stop members 33, 34, to limit the degree ofrotation in either direction. The disposition of the threaded portions31 of the collar 27 may be such that the securing members may haveengagement therewith at both the maintenance and fixed positions and, ifdesired, at intermediate positions, this being a matter readilydetermined by the particular requirements of the installation involved.

The parts may be made of any desired or convenient materials. In oneform of the invention, the tubular base member 15, rotor tube 25, collar27, and ring 30 have been made of aluminum, the bearing member 20 ofstainless steel, and the disc 16 of aluminum. However, the parts may bemade of any other material found convenient or practical for thepurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotatable roadway light support, a hollow base open at its top,a collar mounted in the upper portion of the hollow base and having aportion projecting upwardly therefrom, a post disposed vertically oversaid base and having a reduced lower portion passing downwardly throughsaid collar into the hollow base axially thereof, a ring-like discsecured in the hollow base and formed with a tapered seat in its centralopening, a bearing member carried by the reduced lower portion of thepost, said bearing member having a portion coacting with the seat on thering-like disc to rotatably support the lower end of the post, a ringsecured about the post above the reduced lower end portion thereof andextending downwardly about the projecting upper portion of the collar,complementary means on the ring and collar to secure them together inrotated adjusted position, and abutment lugs carried by the ring andbase and engageable with each other to limit the turning movement of thering and the post.

2. In a rotatable roadway light support, a hollow base open at its top,a collar mounted in the upper portion of the hollow base, a postdisposed vertically over said base and having a reduced lower portionpassing downwardly through said collar into the hollow base axiallythereof, a ring-like disc secured in the ho].- low base and formed witha tapered seat in its central opening, a bearing portion at the reducedlower portion of the post complementary to and coacting with the seat onthe ring-like disc to rotatably support the lower end of the post, aring secured about the post extending downwardly about the projectingupper portion of the collar, complementary means on the ring and collarto secure them together in rotated adjusted position.

3. In a rotatable roadway light support as set forth in claim 2, a lipportion on said bearing member projecting downwardly through the centralopening of the disc and serving to align the disc and bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 654,923 Scott July 31, 1900 1,234,893 Fridley July 31, 19171,540,490 Mertel June 2, 1925 1,600,066 Rastetter Sept. 14, 19262,100,058 McGrady Nov. 23, 1937 2,216,408 Elmer Oct. 1, 1940

